The Indian Air Force completed a historic landing of the mammoth C-17 Globemaster at Tuting Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the IAF and tweeted a video landing the giant aircraft at the airfield near the Chinese border.

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) completed a historic landing of the mammoth C-17 Globemaster at Tuting Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the IAF and tweeted a video landing the giant aircraft at the airfield near the Chinese border. The barely 36-second video shows the humongous metal bird touching down upon the airstrip on the backdrop of picturesque mountains. "IAF completes the historic landing of the mammoth C17 Globemaster (Large Military Transport Aircraft) at Tuting advanced landing ground in Arunachal Pradesh. The airfield is extremely challenging due to unruly hilly terrain," Sitharaman tweeted along with the video.

The flight crew for the historic landing included Group Captain K Rama Rao, Wing Commander Amiya Kant Patnaik, Wing Commander K Trivedi and Squadron Leader L Nayak. What makes the landing crucial is the fact that the ALG is located 30 km from China. Beijing has for decades claimed that Arunachal Pradesh is a Chinese territory, an assertion that has been refuted by India. The landing of a transport aircraft, which can carry supplies to about 30 km from the Chinese border is thus of a significant strategic advantage to India. The landing also comes at a time when Indian and Chinese military forces faced off each other for 72 days at Doklam in Bhutan last year. The landing comes after over a year when the Tuting ALG was upgraded on December 30, 2016 with a full-fledged runway along with all the associated facilities.

"After the trial landing, C17 carried out an Ops mission, airlifting 18 tons of load into the austere airfield. The airfield is in close proximity to the Chinese border. The mission carried out today is a strategic leap in terms of Op Performance Demonstration & Tactical Air Mobility," the IAF tweeted.

After completion of the trial landing, he C17 carried out an operational mission airlifting operation load into the challenging airfield. The mission carried out demonstrated C 17 aircraft's operational performance and capability of tactical air mobility of IAF. The strategic location of Tuting ALG will make it a launching pad for IAF operations as well as a facilitator to the Administration in the management of border area. The ALG will be used to bring in vital supplies from cities in Assam via fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters besides meeting challenges during natural calamities.

WATCH: Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster makes a magnificent landing at Tuting airfield adjoining ChinaDescription:The Indian Air Force completed a historic landing of the mammoth C-17 Globemaster at Tuting Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the IAF and tweeted a video landing the giant aircraft at the airfield near the Chinese border. Times Now